Parallel Worlds
by PlatinumViola
Summary: A three-shot of what could be happening at Camp Half-Blood while Percy is off with the Romans. Slightly AU.
1. In the Athena Cabin

**The first book was based in Camp Half-Blood, while this book is based in Camp Jupiter, so I thought it would be interesting to write about what has been going on simultaneously in the Greek camp, while Percy is with the Romans.**

**This fanfic is set near the end of The Son of Neptune, while Percy, Hazel, and Frank wrap up their fight to free Thanatos, god of death. It is stated that work on the warship, the Argo II, would be underway, leading up to their departure toward the Roman camp.**

**Written with the intention to keep as close as possible to the author's original writing style.**

**-ANNABETH-**

Annabeth ripped a piece of paper to shreds forcefully, displaying a rash anger that wasn't like her at all.

"Oh, Percy," she muttered. "Percy, Percy, _Percy_." She rubbed her hand across her forehead and closed her eyes.

The anger that risen inside of her only moments before settled into a horrid fear in her throat. No matter how many times she swallowed, trying to force the lump back down, it came right back up. She was scared, _so scared_. She wasn't being herself at all, and this time, Athena didn't have the slightest plan.

A knock sounded at the cabin door. Malcolm stuck his head in, a worried look on his face.

"Annabeth?" he cleared his throat. "You've been gone awhile. Do you want us to go to archery without you?"

Annabeth opened her mouth, and only a croak escaped. She nodded slightly.

Malcolm shifted. "Okay."

Annabeth watched him close the door softly and jog back toward the archery ranges.

"Percy, I _hate_ you. Why did you have to go get yourself kidnapped?" she whispered, snatching a photo of the two of them off her bedside wall.

Exasperated, she crumpled the photo, only to smoothen it out again. She stared at his eyes, wishing they were in person. It had always been his eyes. They spoke volumes to her, words that he could never say just right.

She was leaving in the Argo II tomorrow morning with Leo, Jason, Piper, and a bunch of other campers. She looked forward to it so much, just because it would solve all the what-ifs she had in mind. But she also wished she could put it off altogether - that she could have Kronos' power over time, and she could just slow time to an infinite level so that she'd never have to face Percy again.

She knew she would see him, of course. Maybe you tend to reach a level of selfishness when you know a person so well. Or maybe it was just good old Aphrodite love. But seeing him wasn't enough. Annabeth couldn't stand the thought of seeing him at the Roman camp, every bit like he was eight months ago, and have to introduce herself.

"Hi, I'm Annabeth. I don't suppose you remember me, but I know you. You're Percy."

And he might say, "Oh. Did we know each other very well?"

And she would bitterly spit back a response. "Oh no, we've only been best friends for six years. You've only held the sky up for me before, and saved my life somewhere close to five thousand times. I'm only the person who anchors you to your mortal soul, the one who knows your single weak spot after taking on the curse of Achilles. Oh, and we're dating. _By the way_."

She would see him, but would he know who she was?

Annabeth had never felt so weak and helpless before, and she hated Percy for being the cause. She had never felt so controlled, so subject to what he did or didn't do, as if it could end her life at any point in time. _It would_, she thought. _I sound so stupid and clichéd, but it's true. I'd rather die than have Percy stare at me like a stranger._

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	2. In the Arena

**Disclaimer: I am not Rick Riordan. Nor do I claim possession over his works.**

**Written with the intention to keep as close as possible to the author's original writing style.**

**-J****ASON**-

_What am I going to do?_ Jason thought desperately, slashing with a sword. Thrown in a wide arc, the dummy's arm went flying, and Jason stabbed desperately, wishing that his problem was as easy to destroy as a practice dummy. His memories had come back to him slowly, and the scariest came last of all.

Reyna.

"I thought I'd find you here," a voice clipped behind him.

Startled from his deep thought, Jason dropped his sword and it clattered to the floor. "Drew?" he said in unbelief, not sure whether he was still lost somewhere in his thoughts, or if this was real.

She smiled, her full lips beaming in her signature way. "Yes, it's me."

Piper had told him all about Drew, but not wanting to be impolite, he picked up his sword and sheathed it. "Did you want to talk about something?" Jason asked.

"Of course. Can we have a seat?"

Jason took a seat next to her in the front row bleachers. It was very hot for early spring, and he tugged at his jeans, wishing he had worn shorts for practice today. He waited silently for her to get to the point.

"I was thinking," Drew said, pursing her lips thoughtfully, "that you would have all your memories back by now."

She waited expectantly, and it took Jason some time to realize she had posed a question. "Uh, yeah," he responded finally.

She nodded like she had known. "Did those memories include a past girlfriend, perhaps?"

Jason swallowed. These Aphrodite girls could read minds when it came to this kind of stuff. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, she wasn't really a girlfriend. More like –"

"A close friend."

"Yeah."

"But you liked her."

"Um, yeah."

"Just like you like Piper."

Jason wasn't sure what she was getting at. "Yeah?"

Drew grinned. "So you're probably wondering... is it going to be a Jeyna or a Jasper?"

"What?"

"Jeyna – Jason and Reyna. Jasper – Jason and Piper." Drew rolled her big eyes. Jason couldn't help noticing her long, dark lashes. Courtesy of her godly mother, of course. Drew caught him staring. "Or are you thinking... Drason? Me and you?"

Jason cleared his throat. "Uh, Drew – it's –"

"Okay, okay. I was teasing. I'm just saying, if you need some love advice, Aphrodite's always here to help. Piper's head counsellor now, but it doesn't change talent. I still give the best advice when it comes to all the complicated stuff."

"Uh – "

"Besides, you can't ask Piper for advice. She'll be biased. She wants you."

Jason wanted to point out that Drew wanted him too, but he decided to let it pass. "Thanks, I guess." He realized how off-hand that sounded and tried again. "I mean, thanks a lot, Drew. I appreciate the thought," he amended.

Her smile glittered on her face again. "Anytime, Jason. Good luck on the quest thingy too. But that's the minor stuff. Good luck on the love life," she winked.

Jason squeezed back a sarcastic laugh. The quest that would decide whether or not the world would continue existing was the "minor thingy"? Aphrodite needed to prioritize a lot better.

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	3. On Board the Argo II

**-ANNABETH-**

She tossed the backpack carelessly over one shoulder, rolling her neck to ease the cramp that had started early in the morning.

"Did you get a good sleep?" Piper asked, a small smile lightening up her face.

Annabeth could tell she was trying to keep it together. Stay positive. All the happy stuff.

Truth was, Annabeth had barely slept at all, nightmares of Percy staring at her, but not recognizing who she was. Monsters had chased her endlessly through woods, and futile screams had torn themselves from her throat.

"Sure," Annabeth replied, knowing that she was older and more experienced. She wanted to keep Piper relatively calm and soothed.

She and Piper and gotten to know each other a lot better over the past few months, but Annabeth still felt wary when she tried to read Piper's emotions.

Piper nodded, and fidgeted with her hands as they sat on the ship, waiting for Jason to get the last instructions from Chiron. Annabeth knew why she was more ADHD than usual. It was the same reason that she had to put all she had into being herself. Today was the day that they both could lose their boyfriends. Kind of.

Jason had talked to her about Reyna, not holding back anything that he remembered. But Annabeth wasn't sure if he had talked to Piper yet, or even if he planned to.

"All aboard?" Jason called, climbing the ladder to be the last one on the ship.

"Shut up, punk. This isn't a train. It's a warship." Clarisse shot back, from where she stood reviewing battle formations.

Jason reached the level, rolling his eyes, and Annabeth felt Piper tense next to her. He was cute, yeah, but Annabeth couldn't see herself with anyone but Percy. His blue eyes were bright and alive, as if he had gotten a great night's sleep, but Annabeth knew it was unlikely. Winds that only he could feel tossed his hair, and ruffled his shirt. Zeus' kid alright.

"How about we go down and get at home in our suite?" Piper asked, when the warship had left ground.

The ship only had so many suites, so it was decided that she and Piper would share one.

Annabeth nodded, and they descended the long oak stairs that Leo had crafted. They entered the room quietly, the only sound was Piper's two bracelets jingling on her arm. Annabeth looked closer at them. Piper had started wearing them a couple weeks back, but she had never explained where they had come from. Piper also didn't seem like one to wear jewellery, even bracelets as simple as the ones that now kept the silence from being awkward.

"He told me about her."

Annabeth started, turning her face suddenly to Piper's figure. Her curly hair bounced suddenly.

"He told me," Piper repeated, her voice catching. She shook her head as if berating herself for letting it happen.

Annabeth took a seat on the bed that appeared to be hers. She had never been the girly type to comfort girls over break-ups or cheating boyfriends, but she tucked her hair under her ear. "Tell me about it. Talk it out, Piper," she said, not wanting to sound pitying, because it was what Piper had always resented.

**-LEO-**

"Delta formation, you hear me?" Clarisse snapped at him, making Leo lift his head slowly.

"Yeah, I got it. Delta formation behind Annabeth if the Romans attack," he said wearily.

Clarisse shot him a look that was almost sympathetic, but it was gone as soon as she turned to her siblings: sons and daughters of Ares, the war god. "Come on, weaklings," she said, rolling her shoulders. "We're starting two work-outs a day until we reach Camp Jupiter."

Leo sighed and turned away. His brother Jake was taking care of the steering for now, and it would be nice to catch a nap. As he meandered down the boys' hall, he couldn't resist wondering about their real enemy.

Maybe they could unite Greeks and Romans, sure. But defeat Mother Earth? Gaea? It sounded ridiculous. _Do not be misled,_ he reminded himself. _She is one of the most cruel beings. Mother of the Titans. _

Leo wanted to burst out laughing, that mocking, ridiculous laugh that you gave someone when you were frustrated and they were still asking for the impossible. If the gods themselves couldn't destroy the Titans on their own, why bother with the mother of them all?

Still, there was that same hatred that was rooted inside him. Even if it sounded impossible... Gaea had killed his mother, Gaea had cursed him with incredible power over fire, and she alone would pay by his hands – the very hands that were fire-proof and deadly - if he had anything to say about it.

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